Computer-human interface which provides for user customization of object behavior
First Claim
1. In a computer, a method for associating user-specified behavior with a file or other computer-system object, comprising the steps of:
- identifying a computer-system object as one that has behavior associated with it;
creating a file which includes a specification of a user-specified behavior that is to be exhibited in connection with the identified object;
detecting the occurrence of an event associated with said object; and
running a program that causes the behavior specified in said file to be exhibited upon the detection of said event, independently of any operation associated with the object itself.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer-user interface facilitates interaction between the user and the computer in a manner which enables the computer to assist the user in accomplishing desired goals. The computer works with the user to automatically exhibit desired behavior in response to triggering events designated by the user. Any executable function can be designated by the user as the object of a task. The initiation of this task can be carried out in response to any programmatically detectable event, or trigger, which is also designated by the user. The existence and implementation of the behavior is unknown to the files and other objects with which it is associated. With the flexibility offered by this arrangement, the user can customize the operation of a computer to suit his or her particular needs.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. In a computer, a method for associating user-specified behavior with a file or other computer-system object, comprising the steps of:
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identifying a computer-system object as one that has behavior associated with it; creating a file which includes a specification of a user-specified behavior that is to be exhibited in connection with the identified object; detecting the occurrence of an event associated with said object; and running a program that causes the behavior specified in said file to be exhibited upon the detection of said event, independently of any operation associated with the object itself. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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8. A method for enabling computer users to associate behavior with objects in a computer system, comprising the steps of:
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providing an interface via which a user identifies a behavior and an object that is to have said behavior associated with it; establishing a file which includes a specification of the behavior that is to be associated with the object and a triggering event associated with said object that causes instantiation of said behavior; detecting the occurrence of said triggering event; and launching an activity in response to said detection to thereby cause said behavior to occur. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A system for associating behavior with objects in a computer, comprising:
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means for storing a plurality of behavior files, wherein each file includes at least an identification of an action to be performed and an event associated with an object; means for examining each behavior file and for creating a trigger object which provides a notification when the event identified in the behavior file occurs; and means responsive to a notification that an event has occurred in connection with an object for initiating the action to be performed. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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19. A system for automatically causing user-specified behavior to be exhibited in connection with objects stored in a computer system, comprising:
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a memory storing a plurality of behavior objects which respectively relate to different types of behavior that can be associated with objects; means responsive to user selection of one of said behavior objects, and identification of a programmatically detectable event that is associated with a designated computer system object, for creating a behavior file which identifies said selected behavior object and identified event, and for labelling the designated computer system object as one having behavior associated with it; and means responsive to the occurrence of said identified event in connection with said designated computer system object for causing the behavior associated with said selected behavior object to be carried out. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification